Shooting game machine

ABSTRACT

A shooting game machine having a gun for projecting bullets using compressed air and targets arranged in a predetermined distance in front of the gun includes a housing which is provided with at least one opening formed on a front wall thereof, a gun supporter mounted inside of the opening on the front wall of the housing for supporting the gun, and a target holding mechanism installed in front of the gun in a predetermined distance for holding at least one target.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] (a) Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a shooting game machine, and inparticular, to an improved shooting game machine capable of preventing abullet shot from a gun from being damaged, due to an impact against wallof a housing of the shooting game machine, by applying impact absorbingmeans to the walls, giving a player aiming stability and preventing thegun from being stolen by fixing the gun to the housing, and making easyto arrange targets.

[0003] (b) Description of the Related Art

[0004] Heretofore shooting game machines have been known in whichtargets are arranged in playing spots with model guns utilizingcompressed air such that a gift is given to the play when a target ishit by a bullet shot from the gun.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a conventional shooting game machine designed toallow a player to shoot the model gun while aiming at a target and FIG.2 shows a target below which a gift is suspended.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the conventional shooting gamemachine 102 is provided with a plurality of target holders 100 supportedby a pair of rotational chains in a housing in such a manner that thetarget holder is horizontally interposed between the chains and bothends of the target holder 100 are connected to the chains 101 such thata target 103 rotates according to the chain rotation. The target 103 ismade out of material that can be easily torn off in order for the gift105 to fall down when the target is hit to tear.

[0007] Also, the shooting game machine 102 is provided with one or moreaiming openings 104 formed on a front wall of the housing such that thegun is aimed at the target inside in housing by inserting a barrel ofthe gun. The gun is held in a gun-rest box 106 provided at the lowerpart of the front wall of the housing when the gun is not used.

[0008] However, the conventional shooting game machine has somedrawbacks in that it is difficult to aim the model gun at the targetbecause the gun is not supported by any tool but the aiming opening andit is likely to be stolen because the gun is kept in a separate gun-restbox when the gun is not used.

[0009] Also, the bullets can be broken by impact against the wall of thehousing because the bullets are shot with highly compressed air.

[0010] Furthermore, when it is required to replace the used target withnew one, firstly the target holder 100 should be manually detached fromthe chains 101 and then putted in the place again after attaching thenew target 103 to the target holder 100, resulting time-consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention has been made in an effort to solve theabove problems of the prior art.

[0012] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shootinggame machine capable of preventing a bullet shot from a gun from beingdamaged, due to an impact against the wall of housing, by employingimpact absorbing material as the wall of the housing of the shootinggame machine.

[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide ashooting game machine capable of improving aiming stability andpreventing the gun from being stolen by pivotally fixing the gun to theaiming opening.

[0014] It is still another object of the present invention to provide ashooting game machine capable of reducing target replacement time bysimplifying the target holding mechanism.

[0015] To achieve the above object, the shooting game machine of thepresent invention comprises a housing which is provided with at leastone opening formed on a front wall thereof, a gun supporter mountedinside of the opening on the front wall of the housing for supportingthe gun, and a target holding mechanism installed in front of the gun ina predetermined distance for holding at least one target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of theinvention, and together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional shooting gamemachine;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a front view showing a target suspended from a targetholder of the shooting game of FIG. 1 together with a gift;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a shooting game machineaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a gun supporter of theshooting game machine of FIG. 3 together with a gun fixed thereto;

[0021]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the gun supporterof the shooting game machine of FIG. 3;

[0022]FIG. 6 is an exploded view for illustrating how the gun supporteris assembled;

[0023]FIG. 7 is a perspective view for illustrating how the gunsupporter is mounted to a housing the shooting game machine;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a perspective view for illustrating how the gun issupported by the gun supporter;

[0025]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a target holder and targetsof the shooting game machine according to the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0026]FIG. 10 is a perspective view for illustrating how the target issuspended from the target holder; and

[0027]FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view showing a wall of a housingof the shooting game machine according to the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be describedhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029]FIG. 3 shows a shooting game machine according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the shooting game machine of the presentinvention comprises a housing 1 having a shape of rectangular box,target holding means installed near a rear wall of the housing 1 forholding a plurality of targets, at a gun supporter 8 mounted around anopening formed on a front wall of the housing 1 for supporting a gun.The gun shoots bullets using compressed air supplied from an aircompressor.

[0031]FIG. 4-FIG. 8 are perspective views for illustrating how the gunsupporter is assembled and mounted on the housing.

[0032] As shown in the drawings, the gun supporter 8 is fixedly mountedaround an opening 6 formed on the front wall 4 of the housing 1. Thefront wall 4 is manufactured using a transparent material such asplastic or glass such that the player can watch and aim the gun at thetarget.

[0033] The gun supporter 8 comprises a rotation ring 14 having a outerdiameter less than inner diameter of the opening 6, a pair of connectors10 for pivotally connecting the rotation ring 14 to a circumferentialedge of the front wall at upper and lower end portions of the opening 6,and a pair of studs 16 oppositely and coaxially fixed on the rotationring 14 for rotationally connecting the gun to the rotation ring 14.

[0034] The rotation ring 14 has a pair of projections 12 perpendicularlyprojected from the rotation ring 14 confronting each other and havingrespective connection holes 46 coaxially arranged.

[0035] Each connector 10 comprises a connecting brocket 32 having ashape of “U” such that an indented space thereof is engaged withcircumferential edge of the opening 6 of the front wall 4, the brocket32 having holes 38 coaxially crossing the indented space of theconnecting brocket 32; and a cylindrical shaft 36 of which one end istightly inserted into a receiving hole 34 formed on the connectingbrocket 32 in an opposite direction of the indented space of theconnecting brocket 32, the shaft 36 having a hole 40 formed coaxial withthe holes 38 of the connecting brocket 32 when the shaft 36 is fixed inthe receiving hole 34 of the connecting brocket 32 and having a steppedportion 44 having a smaller diameter than that of the shaft 36 of whichend portion is threaded so as to be screwed into a nut 50 after thestepped portion 44 is inserted into the hole 46 formed on eachprojection 12 of the rotation ring 14.

[0036] The studs 16 are oppositely and coaxially fixed on the rotationring 14 at an angle of 90° relative to the positions of the projections12 and each stud has stepped end portion 18 having a smaller diameterthan that of the stud 16 and threaded, such that a pair of connectingplate 22 pivotally mounted on the studs 16 by inserting the end portions18 of the studs 16 into holes 24 formed on the connecting plates 22 andscrewing nuts on the end portions 18.

[0037] Accordingly, the gun is pivotally suspended from the studs 16 byfixing the gun to the connecting plates 22 by screwing bolts 28 intofixing holes (not shown) at a lower portion of a barrel of the gun 2through fixing holes 30 formed lower portion of the connecting plates22. How the rotation ring 14 is mounted to the housing together with thegun 2 will be described hereinafter.

[0038] Firstly, the shaft 36 of the connector 10 is rotationallyconnected with the rotation ring 14 by inserting the stepped portion 44of the shaft 36 into the connecting hole 46 formed on the projection 12of the rotation ring 14 and screwing nut 50 around the thread endportion of the stepped portion 44. The other ends of the shaft 36 isinserted into the receiving hole 34 of the connecting brockets 32 inorder for the hole 40 of the shaft 36 to be arranged coaxially with theholes 38 of the connecting brockets 32, and the brockets 32 are engagedwith the circumferential edge of the opening 6 such that fixing holeformed on the front wall 4 near a top and bottom ends of the opening 6are arranged coaxially with respective holes 38 of the brocket 32 andthe hole 40 of the shaft 36 and screwing up the bolts 42 into the holes38. Accordingly, the rotation ring 14 is able to rotate in the opening 6on the axes of the shafts 36.

[0039] Next, the gun 2 is rotationally connected to the rotation ring 14in such a manner that the two connecting plates 22 are fixed to the gun2 by interposing the gun 2 between the plates, screwing the bolts 28into the fixing holes (not shown) formed both side of the lower portionof the barrel of the gun 2 through the fixing holes 30 formed at thelower portion of the connecting plates 22, and pivotally connecting theconnecting plates 22 to corresponding studs 16 by penetrating thestepped portions 18 of the studs 16 into the holes 24 of the connectingplates 22 and screwing the nuts 26 on the threaded end 20 of the steppedportions 18. Accordingly, the gun 2 is mounted to the rotation ring 14so as to rotate on the axes of the studs 16 perpendicular to the axes ofthe shafts 36.

[0040]FIG. 9 partially shows a target holder and targets of the shootinggame machine according to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 9, the target holder 70 is provided with aplurality of slots 71 having a shape of “T” and the target 60 has a body62 and a suspender 63, having a shape of “T” corresponding to the slot71, upwardly extended from the target 60 such that the target 60 issuspended from the target holder 70 in such a manner that the suspender63 of the target 60 is inserted to the slot 71 through a wide openingportion 71 a, moved down in order for a narrow neck 64 bridging the body62 and the suspender 63 to be received into a holding part 71 b of theslot 71, and pulled down.

[0042] Accordingly, the suspender 63 of the target 60 is held by thenarrow holding part 71 b of the slot 71 (see FIG. 9).

[0043] A gift 61 is suspended lower end of the target 60 and the targetis preferably made out of a material which can be easily torn such thatthe gift 61 falls down when the target 60 is hit and torn by bullet.

[0044]FIG. 11 shows an impact absorbing member applied to inner walls ofthe housing 1 of the shooting game machine of the present invention.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 11, the impact absorbing member 80 comprises aplurality of elastic columns 84 projected from a inner surface of aplate 82 in a predetermined density. The impact absorbing member 80 isapplied to a rear, upper, and side walls such that the impact of thebullets against the walls is absorbed by the elastic columns 84. Thisprevents the bullets from being broken.

[0046] The operation of the above structured shooting game machine ofthe present invention will be described hereinafter.

[0047] The rotation ring 14 is mounted in the opening 6 of the frontwall 4 of the housing 1 using the connector 10 such that the rotationring 14 can rotate left and right on the axes of the shafts 36 of theconnector 10. Next, the gun 2 is installed in the rotation ring 14 byinterposing the gun 2 between the studs 16 and connecting the gun 2 tothe studs 16 using the connecting plates 22 and bolts 28 such that thegun 2 is able to pivot up and down on the axes of the studs 16 in therotation ring 14. Consequently, the gun 2 can be controlled in alldirections on the axes of the shafts 36 and the studs 16.

[0048] Also, since the front wall 4 of the housing 1 is transparent, theplayer can aim at the target 60 with the gun 12 while staring the target60 through the transparent front wall 4.

[0049] Once a bullet is shot from the gun 2 in power of the compressedair after aim and misses the target, the bullet impact against the wall.In this case the impulsive force of the bullet against the wall iscushioned by the impact absorbing member 80 applied to the wall suchthat it is possible to speed down the bullet bouncing from the wall andprevent the bullet from being broken.

[0050] The target 60 is suspended from the target holder 70 by insertingthe suspender 63 of the target 60 into the slot 71 of the target holder70 and pulling down the target in order for the narrow neck 64 of thetarget 60 to be engaged with the holding part 71 b of the slot 71 andfor the suspender 63 to be held in the holding part 71 b of the slot 71.

[0051] The target 60 is made out of a thin and scissile material suchthat if the target 60 is hit several times by bullets, the target istorn, resulting in falling the gift suspended from a lower end of thetarget 60. When replacing the target torn by bullets with new one, thetarget 60 is removed by putting up the target 60 in order for thesuspender 63 to be located in the wide portion 71 a of the slot 71 andpulling in frontward and then the new target is held in the same mannerdescribed above.

[0052] As described above, since the walls of the housing the shootinggame machine is applied by the impacting absorbing member, the bulletsmissed the target can be prevented from being broken against the wallsand the bouncing speed of the bulled can be slowed down.

[0053] Also, since the gun is fixed on the front wall of the housing 1,even when it is not used, by means of the supporter so as to rotate onthe two axes, the player can more stably aiming at the target and it isprevented that the gun is stolen.

[0054] Furthermore, the target holder and the target are modified so asnot to need to separate the target holder from the shooting game machinefor changing the target such that the target replacement time isreduced.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shooting game machine having a gun forprojecting bullets using compressed air and targets arranged in apredetermined distance in front of the gun, comprising: a housing whichis provided with at least one opening formed on a front wall thereof; agun supporter mounted inside of the opening on the front wall of thehousing for supporting the gun; and a target holding mechanism installedin front of the gun in a predetermined distance for holding at least onetarget.
 2. A shooting game machine of claim 1 wherein the front wall ofthe housing is made out of a transparent plate.
 3. A shooting gamemachine of claim 1 wherein the gun supporter comprises: a rotation ringhaving an outer diameter less than that of the opening; a pair ofconnectors rotationally connecting rotation ring with the front wall inthe opening at upper and lower end portions of a circumferential edge ofthe opening; and a pair of studs connecting the gun to the rotation ringsuch that the gun rotates on an axis of the studs perpendicular to anaxis on which the rotation ring rotates.
 4. A shooting game machine ofclaim 3 wherein each connector comprises: a connecting brocket having ashape of “U” such that an indented portion is engaged withcircumferential edge of the opening of the front wall; and a cylindricalshaft of which one end is fixed to the connecting brocket and other endhaving a stepped portion for rotationally connecting with the rotationring.
 5. A shooting game machine of claim 4 wherein the rotation ringhas a pair of projections perpendicularly projected from the rotationring with longest distance therebetween on the rotation ring and havingrespective connection holes such that the stepped portions of the shaftis rotationally received in the respective connection holes.
 6. Ashooting game machine of claim 3 wherein the studs are oppositely andcoaxially fixed on the rotation ring at an angle of 90° relative to theprojections of the rotation rings.
 7. A shooting game machine of claim 6wherein each stud has a stepped end portion having a smaller diameterthan that of the stud and threaded such that the gun is rotationallymounted between the studs in the rotation ring.
 8. A shooting gamemachine of claim 1 wherein the target holding mechanism comprises:movable means for moving the targets; driving means for driving themovable means; at least one target holder horizontally mounted to themovable means, the target holder being provided with at least one slothaving a shape of “T”; at least one target for being inserted into theslot of the target holder and suspended therefrom.
 9. A shooting gamemachine of claim 8 wherein the target is provided with a body and asuspender connected to the body via a neck.
 10. A shooting game machineof claim 9 wherein the slot of the target holder is provided with a wideportion having a same width of the suspender of the target in order forthe suspender to be inserted into the slot through the wide portion anda holding portion for holding the suspender of the target.
 11. Ashooting game machine of claim 10 wherein the target is suspended fromthe target holder by inserting the suspender through the wide portion ofthe slot and pull down the target such that the neck of the target isengaged with a holding portion and the suspender is held.
 12. A shootinggame machine of claim 1 further comprises impact absorbing means appliedon inner walls of the housing for cushioning impact of the bulletagainst the walls.
 13. A shooting game machine of claim 12 wherein theimpact absorbing means comprises a plurality of elastic members appliedon a surface of a plate.
 14. A shooting game machine of claim 13 whereinthe elastic member is rubber.
 15. A shooting game machine of claim 14wherein the elastic member having a shape of tapered column projectedfrom the plate.
 16. shooting game machine of claim 12 wherein the frontwall of the housing is made out of a transparent plate.
 17. A shootinggame machine of claim 16 wherein the gun supporter comprises: a rotationring having an outer diameter less than that of the opening; a pair ofconnectors rotationally connecting rotation ring with the front wall inthe opening at upper and lower end portions of a circumferential edge ofthe opening; and a pair of studs connecting the gun to the rotation ringsuch that the gun rotates on an axis of the studs perpendicular to anaxis on which the rotation ring rotates.
 18. A shooting game machine ofclaim 17 wherein each connector comprises: a connecting brocket having ashape of “U” such that an indented portion is engaged withcircumferential edge of the opening of the front wall; and a cylindricalshaft of which one end is fixed to the connecting brocket and other endhaving a stepped portion for rotationally connecting with the rotationring.
 19. A shooting game machine of claim 18 wherein the rotation ringhas a pair of projections perpendicularly projected from the rotationring with longest distance therebetween on the rotation ring and havingrespective connection holes such that the stepped portions of the shaftis rotationally received in the respective connection holes.
 20. Ashooting game machine of claim 19 wherein the studs are oppositely andcoaxially fixed on the rotation ring at an angle of 900 relative to theprojections of the rotation rings.
 21. A shooting game machine of claim6 wherein each stud has a stepped end portion having a smaller diameterthan that of the stud and threaded such that the gun is rotationallymounted between the studs in the rotation ring.